Can you get a tattoo at the age of 16 in Scotland?

Answer 1

TATTOOING OF MINORS ACT 1969
(1969 c.24)

(16 May 1969)

An Act to prohibit the tattooing of persons under the age of eighteen years.

GENERAL NOTES

This Act prohibits the tattooing of persons under the age of 18 years.

1. makes it an offence for someone other than a duly qualified medical practitioner (or a person working under his direction) performing a tattoo for medical reasons, to tattoo a person under the age of eighteen; it is to be defence that the person charged had reasonable cause to believe that the person tattooed was of or over the age of eighteen, and did in fact so believe.
2. lays down a penalty on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding £100.
3. defines "tattoo" as the insertion into the skin of any colouring material designed to leave a permanent mark.
4. deals with short title, commencement and extent.

The Act, which does not extend to Northern Ireland, received the Royal Assent on 16 May 1969, and came into force on that date.

For parliamentary debates, see HC Vol 776, Col 266; Vol 780, Col 1944.

SCOTLAND

The Act applies to Scotland without modification.